Predation Record of Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) by Guira Cuckoo (Guira guira) (Aves: Cuculiformes: Cuculidae) in the Region of Arraial do Cabo, East Coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Abstract

The tropical house gecko is an exotic and invasive lizard that has a wide distribution in the New World. Throughout its area of occurrence, the species is predated by several native predators, such as spiders, lizards, snakes, birds, and mammals. The guira cuckoo is a widely distributed bird in South America, usually found in man-impacted regions. The species feeds mainly on arthropods, small vertebrates, and reptiles, such as lizards. This note presents a documented record of predation of a tropical house gecko by a guira cuckoo in the region of Arraial do Cabo, east coast of Rio de Janeiro State, on December 22, 2017. This is one of the few documented records of predation of Hemidactylus mabouia by Guira guira in southeastern Brazil.